Luggage carrier case



Feb. 13, 1934.. J. RITTER, JR

LUGGAGE CARRIER CASE Filed Oct. 20, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R m M m A TTORNEY.

Feb. 13, 1934. J. RITTER, JR

LUGGAGE CARRIER CASE Filed Oct. 20, 1950 2 Sheets-shat 2 2 7 4 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LUGGAGE CARRIER CASE Application October 20, 1930. Serial No. 489,768

6 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to improvements in luggage carrier cases, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction of garment supports or carriers especially adapted for association with portable cases or so-called luggage.

A general object of the invention is to provide a luggage carrier case which is simple and compact in construction, and which is moreover durable and readily manipulable.

It has heretofore been proposed, as shown in Patent 1,827,542, granted October 13, 1931, to equip a luggage carrier case with a garment support or carrying frame comprising relatively long and flimsy parallel side arms pivotally associated, at their lower ends with one section of the body of the case in close proximity to the hinge connecting the case sections, the side arms having their upper ends rigidly interconnected by means of a cross bar movable into and out of the portion of the cover section farthest from the hinge. While the garment carrier should be constructed as light as possible, the prior carriers of this type were extremely objectionable, not only by virtue of their frail construction due to the location of the frame pivots near the cover hinge and the resulting disposition of the cross rod remote from the pivots with no intermediate bracing between the side arms, but also because the cover section was not properly braced when in open position.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a garment carrier which eliminates the foregoing objectionable features,

and which is lighter and stronger than the prior carriers or racks, by virtue of the provision of a pivotal support for a portion of the structure located remote from the hinge connection between the case sections.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide an improved garment carrier structure which aids in enhancing the rigidity of the case to which it is applied, and which is more conveniently manipulable than prior devices of this character.

Still another specific object of the invention is to provide a garment supporting and confining device, the garment receiving portion of which is pivotally supported within the cover section as far as possible above the hinge, and another portion of which is swingably associated with the cover section considerably above the hinge and below the garment receiving portion, the

These and other specific objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of several embodiments of the invention and of the mode of constructing 69 and of manipulating garment carriers built in accordance therewith, may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the several views:

Fig. l is a central vertical section through an improved luggage carrier case, the section being taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 3, and the garment carrier being shown folded within the 70 cover section of the case;

Fig. 2 is a similar central vertical section through the luggage carrier case, the garment carrier being shown unfolded as when a garment is being applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through the garment carrier case, the section being taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1, and the garment carrier being shown folded into the cover section of the case;

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section through a modified form of luggage carrier case having a modified form of garment carrier associated with the cover section thereof, the section being taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 6 and the garment carrier being shown folded into the cover section;

Fig. 5 is a similar central vertical section through the carrier case of Fig. 4, the garment carrier being shown in garment receiving position; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section through the carrier case of Figs. 4 and 5, the section being taken along the lines 66 of Fig. 4 and the garment carrier being shown folded into the cover section of the case.

Referring specifically to Sheet 1 of the drawings, the luggage carrier case shown therein by way of illustration, comprises in general a main or base section 7 having a cover section 8 secured thereto by means of a hinge 9, the case being provided with a handle 10 and having one or more latches 11 associated with the sections 7,

8 of the case remote from the hinge 9. The cover section 8 may be provided with a garment carrier comprising a pivotally supported rack portion 12 and a swingable brace portion 13, the former being secured to the uppermost portions latter portion of the carrier also serving as a of the side walls of the section 8 by means of 55 brace for the cover section when open.

pivots 23, and the latter being swingably associated with the side walls of the cover section 8 remote from the hinge 9 by means of pivots 22.

The portions 12, 13 are foldable within the cover section 8 as indicated in Fig. 1, and the garment carrier portion 12 is provided with a removable cross rod or brace 20 disposed at the ends of the side arms remote from the pivots 23. Straps 14 secured to the side walls of the cover section 8 are adapted to be interconnected across the garment carrier when folded, by means of snap fasteners 15, and several sets of straps 14 may be provided if desired.

The main section '7 and the cover section 8 are furthermore provided with stop straps 16 for limiting the swinging movement of the cover section, and the brace portion 13 is adapted to be swung downwardly into engagement with the upper extremity of a partition 17 removably disposed within the main section 7. The partition 1'7 is provided at its upper end with one or more fastening straps 18 adapted to engage the cross rod 21 of the brace portion, the straps 18 being provided with snap fasteners as indicated. The interior of the main section '7 may furthermore be provided with side pockets 19 or with additional partitions, as desired, and the case sections 7, 8 are preferably covered and lined with suitable material.

When it is desired to apply a garment to the rack portion 12 of the garment carrier specifically illustrated in Sheet 1, the retaining straps 14 may be released and the portions 12, 13 swung to the positions indicated in Fig. 2. The brace portion 13 is thus rigidly fastened to the partition 17 by means of the strap 18, thereby assisting the stop straps 16 to prevent the cover section 8 from moving toward or away from the main section 7. The garment receiving rack or portion 12 is swung upwardly as shown in Fig. 2, and upon removal of the bracing rod 20, the garments may be applied to the intermediate cross bar of the frame portion 12 in an obvious manner.

When a garment 24 has been applied as shown in Fig. 2, and the bracing rod 20 has been applied to the uppermost ends of the side frames of the portion 12, the brace portion 12 may be swung upwardly about the pivots 22 and against the depending portions of the garment 24 to urge the garment tightly against the wall of the cover section 8. The upper rack portion 12 may be subsequently swung into the cover section 8 about the pivots 23 as indicated in Fig. l, whereupon the straps 14 may be connected over the folded garment carrier sections and fastened as indicated in Fig. 3, to effectively confine the garment within the cover section 8. The case may then be closed without danger of having the garment interfere with material stored within the main section '7, and it will be apparent that the garment is readily removable from within the cover section 8 by reversing the several steps described in connection with the application of the garment to. the carrier.

Referring specifically to Sheet 2 of the drawings, the luggage carrier case shown therein by way of illustration, comprises in general a main or base section 27 having a cover section 28 secured thereto by means of a hinge 29, the case being provided with a handle 30 and having one or more latches 31 associated with the sections 27, 28 remote from the hinge 29. The cover section 28 may be provided with a garment carrier comprising a pivotally supported rack 32 having side frames swingably associated with the medial portions of the side walls of the section 28 by means of pivots 40 located remote from the hinge 29. The garment carrier frame 32 is swingable about the pivots 40 into and out of the cover section 28, and the outward swinging movement of the frame 32 is limited by means of straps 37 as shown in Fig. 5. The side frames of the garment carrier rack 32 are interconnected at their upper ends by means of a cross bar 38, over which the garments 42 may be hung.

The interior of the cover section 28, beneath the garment carrier rack 32, may be provided with a pocket 41 as shown, and the garment carrier rack may be retained within the cover section 28 by means of a harness 34. The harness 34 when released, may be thrown over the upper end of the cover section 28 as shown in Fig. 5 and is provided with hooks 35 cooperable with openings in brackets 36 as shown in Fig. 6, to retain the harness within the cover section.

The swinging movement of the cover section 28, relative to the main section 27, is limited by stop straps 33 associated with the opposite sides of the sections. The main section 2'7 may either be provided with side pockets 39 as shown or with partitions, as desired.

When it becomes desirable to apply a garment 42 to the carrier rack 32, the cover section 28 may be opened as shown in Fig. 5, the harness 34 may be released and thrown over the top of the cover section, and the rack 32 may then be swung forwardly to garment receiving position. The garment 42 may then be hung directly upon the cross bar 38 of the carrier rack, after which the rack 32 may be swung into the cover and the harness 34 subsequently applied as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, to retain the garment carrier and the garment associated therewith, within the cover section. In order to remove the garment 42, it is only necessary to release the harness 34 and to subsequently swing the carrier rack 32 to the position indicated in Fig. 5, whereupon the garment 42 is freely vertically removable from the rack.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that in both of the modifications illustrated, the garment carrier is of extremely rigid construction by virtue of the reduction in the length of the side arms thereof, to a minimum. Such shortening of the side arms is made possible without undesirably lowering the garment receiving cross rod, by locating the pivots well above and remote from the hinge between the sections, and by permitting the carrier to swing away from the cover a relatively great distance as compared to prior devices wherein the pivots were located closely adjacent to the hinge. Both forms of garment carrier present a neat and dressy appearance, and provide ample storage of large quantities of paraphernalia within the carrier case, without interfering with the material confined within the main section.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, has a number of advantages over the form shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive. The garment receiving portion 12 of the carrier, may be swung higher from the floor line than is possible with the rack 32, thus facilitat- Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive is somewhat more complicated than that shown in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive, it is nevertheless readily manipulable by a novice and is not sufiiciently heavier to make the compound carrier objectionable for air travel which necessitates reduction of the weight of traveling cases to a minimum.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact details of construction herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the claims may appear to persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a main section having a removable partition therein, a cover section, and a garment carrier comprising an upper garment receiving portion and a lower bracing and garment confining portion movable away from said cover section into engagement with the upper end of said partition to stabilize said cover section when in open position.

2. In combination, a main section having a removable partition therein, a cover section, a garment carrier comprising an upper garment receiving portion and a lower bracing and garment confining portion movable away from said cover section into engagement with the upper end of said partition to stabilize said cover section when in open position, and means for positively attaching said bracing section to said partition.

3. In combination, a main section, a cover section, a hinge connecting said sections, a garment receiving frame pivotally supported by said cover section remote from said hinge, a bracing and garment confining portion swingably associated with said cover section between said garment receiving portion and said hinge, and means for connecting said swingable bracing portion to said main section when said cover section is in open position.

4. In combination, complementary swingably connected sections, one of said sections having a partition therein, a garment engaging bracing portion supported by the other of said sections and movable into engagement with said partition to stabilize said other section when in open position, and a garment carrier supported by said other section and movable over said bracing portion when the latter is folded into said other section.

5. In combination, complementary hingedly connected sections, a garment supporting member pivotally mounted in one of said sections, and a garment engaging member also pivotally mounted in said section, the pivotal mountings for both of said members being remote from the hinge connection between said sections and one of said members being foldable into the member carrying section over the other member.

6. In combination, a main section, a cover section hingedly connected to said main section, a garment supporting member pivotally mounted in said cover section, and a garment engaging member also pivotally mounted in said cover section, the pivotal mountings for both of said members being remote from the hinge connection between said sections and said supporting member being foldable into said cover section over said engaging member.

JULIUS BITTER, JR. 

